Bearing assemblies

ABSTRACT

806,105. Roller bearings. BRITISH TIMKEN, Ltd. May 31, 1957 [Aug. 20, 1956], No. 25319/56. Class 12 (1). In an axle-box assembly, a sleeve 2, constituting outer races for rollers 3, is counterbored at its ends to receive annular sealing rings 9 which are retained by U-shaped wire staples 16 passing through spaced parallel holes 15 in the sleeve 2 and having their ends located in annular clearances between the inner surface of the sleeve 2 and outer surfaces 11, of reduced diameter, of the rings 9. The wire is of copper, brass or other similar ductile material to facilitate removal of the rings. In a modification, shown in Fig. 5, the ring 9 has a curved corner 18 which deflects the ends of a staple 16 outwardly when it is inserted through the hole 15&lt;SP&gt;1&lt;/SP&gt;. In a further modification, a split cotterpin 20, Fig. 10, is used instead of a staple.

Oct. 7, 1958 D. McNlcoLL 2,855,251

` BEARING AssEMBLIEs Filed June 27,'1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 B @QL R/en/100k-f.-

Oct. 7, '1958 Filed Junev 27, 1957 Ff@ al D. MCNICOLL BEARING ASSEMBLIES2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 2,855,251 BEARING ASSEMBLIES DavidMcNicoll, Aston, Birmingham, England, assigner to British TimkenLimited, Birmingham, England, a British company Application June 27,1957, Serial No.- 668,443 Claims priority, application Great BritainAugust 20, 1956 6 Claims. (Cl. 30S-187.1)

This invention relates to bearings, such as roller and ball bearings, inwhich a cover or sealing member is fitted into an open end of a sleeveor outer shell forming an outer part or housing of a bearing assembly,the peripheral surface of said cover lor sealing member engaging acylindrical interior surface of the sleeve or shell. The invention maybe applied, for example, to a bearing assembly forming part of anaxle-box.

An object of the present invention is to provide simple and effectivemeans for retaining the cover or sealing member in position within theend of the sleeve or outer shell.

Another object is to provide simple and inexpensive means for enablingthe cover or sealingl member to be quickly and easily secured .inposition, or detached, as may be required.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for visuallyindicating when the cover or lsealing member is displaced endwise in anoutward direction from its normal position when in use.

According to the invention, a bearing comprises a sleeve or outer shellinto an open end of which is fitted a cover or sealing member anaxially-outward portion of which is spaced from the interior surface ofthe surrounding sleeve or shell by a circumferential space or clearance,the portion of the vsleeve or shell which surrounds said space orclearance being provided with an aperture or apertures through which oneor more retaining members are passed so as -to contact the cover orsealing member, the portions of the retaining members which projectinwardly from the sleeve or shell being bent or deflected in 4adirection around the circumference of the cover or sealing member andalso being pressed into the circumferential space or clearance so as toprevent or resist outward movement of the cover or sealing memberrelatively to the sleeve or shell.

The outer portion of the cover or sealing member may be curved lorinclined away from the interior surface of the sleeve or shell toprovide an annular space or clearance the radial depth of whichprogressively decreases in an axially inward direction, said curved orinclined portion being so positioned in relation to the aperture Vorapertures in the sleeve or shell that the ends `of the retaining memberor members, when the latter are inserted into said aperture orapertures, engage the same, and are thereby deflected axially outwards,said end portionsbeing pressed into the converging space or clearance soas to co-operate with the curved or inclined portion-of the cover orsealing member in order to exert a wedging action against axial outwardmovement of said member.

Figure l of the accompanying drawings is a longitudinal section throughan axle-box assembly'showing the invention applied to the `securing ofend covers within the ends of a sleeve or shell constituting the outerrace member of a tapered-roller bearing.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional View,` onA a larger scale, throughthe right-hand end of the sleeve and corresponding cover.

Figure 3 represents a section on line IIl--IIL'Figure 2.

Figure 4 isa horizontal sectional view taken on line 1V-IV, Figure 2. v.u

A`Figure `5 isa fragmentary vertical section view of a '2,855,25iPatented Oct. 7, 1958 ice 2 modified form of the invention, showing theretaining member after being inserted through the sleeve and deilectedby the end of the'cover.

Figure 6 is a similar view to Figure 5, but shows the ends of theretaining member pressed inwards into the space between the sleeve andcover.

Figure 7 is a vertical sectionon `line VII-VII, Figure 6.

Figure 8 isa sectional plan corresponding to line VIII- VIII, Figure 6.

Figure 9 represents a vertical section of another moditied form of theinvention.

IFigure l0 is a transverse section corresponding to line X--X, Figure 9.

Figure l1 is a section on line Xl-XL Figure 9.

' Referring to Figures lto 4 of the drawings, the axlebox assembly shownin Figure l comprises an outer casing or stirrup member 1 resting on asleeve or shell 2 constituting an outer race member and housing forcontaining and Ico-operating with axially-spaced tapered rollers 3,which run upon inner race members 4 on the axle 5. The sleeve 2 isprovided at each endwit-h an extension part 6 which projects axiallyendwise beyond the rollers 3, and each said extension part 6 iscounterbored to provide an annular -outwardly-presented interiorshoulder 7, the portion of theV extension outwards of this shoulderhaving a cylindrical interior surface, at 8. Fitted into the saidcounterbored sleeve extension 6, up to the interior shoulder 7 thereof,is an annular end cover or sealing member 9. This cover or sealingmember 9 is of approximately L-shapein cross-section and it has, at itsinner end, a cylindrical portion 10 which closely engages thecylindrical interior surface of the sleeve extension 6. The outerperipheral portion of the cover 9 is, however, of reduced exteriordiameter, as at 11, such reduced diameter extending inwards to a pointbeneath the sleeve extension 6 which thus extends over and overhangssaid reduced diameter soV as to provide a shallow annular space orclearance 12 between thesleeve extension 6 and the reduced part 11 ofthe cover, Vtheinner `end -of said space or clearance 12 being of curvedform, as at 13.

At the outer end of the Vaxle-box the lannular cover or sealing member 9is closed by a detachable inspection plate 14 secured -to the outer faceof said member 9, as byv screws (not shown), so that the cover member 9with the inspection plate 14 constitutes an end seal for the bearing.

In order to retain each cover member 9 in place, the wall of thecounterbored sleeve extension 6 is provided, at one, two or morepositions around its circumference, with a pair of spaced parallel holes15, which may be inclined as shown, and which receive a U-shaped wireretaining member in the form of a staple 16, being made of copper, brassor other similar ductile material. The holes 14 are so positionedthattheir inner ends open into the annular space 12, and each U-shapedstaple is inserted from the outside, through the holes 14 so that thestaple legs are received firmly one by eachl of the two said parallelholes, and so that the protruding end portions 17 of the legs contacton, and are spread laterally .away from one another by, the cylindricalsurface of the reduced part 11 of the cover 9, being caused to extendcircumferentially around the said surface, within the annular space 12.The said ends of the legs are at the same time, or by a subsequentoperation, pressed axiallyv If desired, the exterior cross-bar, whichconnects the legs of the staple, may be received in a groove (not shown)provided in the exterior surface of the sleeve extension 6` andconnecting the outer ends of the two holes 15, so that the saidcross-bar will Vlie flush with, or sunken beneath, the said exteriorsurface of the sleeve extension.

According to the modification shown in Figures to 8, the outer endportion of the cover member 9, instead of being reduced in diameter, isformed with a curved radiused corner V18 joining, and merging into, a atend face and the peripheral surface of cylindrical -portion 101 whichengages the cylindrical interior surface 8 of the extension 6 of sleeve2. The inner end of the cover member 9 abuts the shoulder 7 of thesleeve, and the-extension 6 projects axially beyond the curved corner 18of the cover member so as to provide an outwardly-presentedsubstantially V-shaped circumferential space or clearance 19 between thesleeve extension 6 and the end cover member 9. Holes 151 for receiving astaple-like retaining member 16 are provided in the sleeve extension 6at positions such that their inner ends open into the space orclearance19 immediately over the curved corners 18 of the cover member,these holes'151 being either vertical, as shown, or inclined Vas inFigures 1 to 4.

Each staple 16 is insertedinto the holes 151 so that the outer ends ofthe leg-portions impinge on, and are deflected and bent axially outwardsby, the curved corner 18 of the cover member 9, as shown in Figure 5.The protruding end portions 17 of the legs, which are of a lengthgreater than the axial distance from the end face of the cover 9 to theapertures 151, are spread apart laterally and pressed into the space orclearance 19 so as to take the position shown in Figure '6, said endportions 17 pressing against the curved cornersurfaces 18 and cooperating therewith to wedge the sleeve extension 6 and the cover member9 against relative separation.

If the cover member 9 should be accidentally displaced endwise in anoutward direction whilst'the bearing is in use, the outward movement ofthe cover member will cause a compressive or shearing force to beapplied to the inner faces of the bent portions 17 of the staple legs atthe placeswherethe said legs leave the holes 151 in the sleeveextension, causing each of the legs to be elongated at the side engagedby thefcoverv member. Since the staple is held securely in the holes andthe'v elongation is at one side only of each staple leg, the saidvcompressive or shearing `force causes the end'portions 17 of the'staplelegsl to curve, outwards in a directionaway from the shoulder 7,.into aposition ysuch as indicated by broken lines 171 in Figure 8. Theoutwardly-pointing legs then serve to indicate visually-thatthe covermember is tend.- ing to become displaced.

In the further modification shown in Figures 9 to ll, the arrangement issimilar to that of Figures 5 to 8, but a split cotter pin is usedinstead of a staple, said pin being inserted through alsingle hole 21,which may be inclined as shown or vertical, provided in the extension 6of sleeve 2 so that its lower `end opens into the converging space orclearance 19between the rounded corner 18 of cover member 9, and theinterior surface 'of the overhanging sleeve extension 6. The outer endof the hole 21 may be recessed at 22 vto receive the head v23 of thepin. When the pin 20 is thusiinserted through the hole 21 its endportion will be deiected and bent outwards by impingement on the roundedcorner 18 of the cover, `as indicated by broken lines in Figure 9 andthe legs or branches 24 are then spread apart; laterally and pressedinto the space 19, so as to col-operate with saideurved corner 18 towedge the cover member `9 in'f'position.

In Figures 5A to 1l, the outer cornerfof-the cover-,member may be'inclinedi or bevelled y*instead 'of being curved.

Although the inventionhas been flreseribed irrconnection with a bearingVassembly inwhichithe endcover lor sealing members are fitted WithinVthe'iendsof ausleeve which also forms the-outer` race-member ofthetbearing,

the invention is equally applicable in cases where the cover members aretted into a sleeve which is separate from the outer race member andwhich forms a housing for one or more such separate outer race members.

I claim:

l. A bearing assembly comprising a sleeve enclosing rolling bearingelements, a cover member fitted in an open end of said sleeve said covermember having an axially-outward portion spaced from the interiorsurface of the sleeve by a circumferential space and at least oneaperture being provided through the portion of the sleeve surroundingsaid space, and at least one retaining member passed through saidaperture so as to contact the cover member, the portion of the retainingmember which projects from the interior of the sleeve being bent in adirection around the circumference of the cover member and also beingpressed into the circumferential space so as to resist outward axialmovement'of thecover member relatively to the sleeve.

2. A bearing assembly comprising a sleeve enclosing rolling bearingelements, a cover member fitted in an open end of said sleeve and havingits outer portion diverging away from the interior surface of the sleeveto provide an annular space the radial depth of which progressivelydecreases in an axially inward direction, at least one aperture beingprovided through the end portion of the sleeve at a position such as toopen into the annular space; and at least one retaining member insertedinto the aperture in the sleeve to engage the diverging portion of thecover member, the inner end of said retaining member being bent in acircumferential direction around said portion of the cover member andalso being pressed in the axial direction of the bearing yinto theannular space so as to exert a wedging action against axial outwardmovement of the cover member.

3. A bearing assembly comprising a sleeve enclosing rolling bearingelements and having at least one aperture in the wall of an open endportion thereof and also having an interior shoulder situated inwards.of said aperture, a cover member having a cylindrical portion ttedWithin said open end of the sleeve and abutting the interior shoulderand also having anouter'portion of reduced external diameter whichisoverhung .bythe sleeve end portion to provide an annular space intowhich the aperture in the sleeve opens, and at least one retainingmember inserted into said aperture to engage said reduced portion of thecover member, the, inner end of said retaining member being bent in acircumferential direction around said reduced portion of the covermember and also being pressed in Aan axial direction into the `innerportion of the annular space.

4. A bearing assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein atleast a pair ofcircumferentially spaced apertures are provided in the sleeve and theretaining member consists of a wire staple the legs of which areinserted respectively into said apertures and have their ends spreadapart laterally around the cover member and pressed into the`circumferential space between the sleeve and cover member.

5. A bearing assembly as claimed in claim l, wherein the retainingmember conists of a split cotter Apin inserted through the aperture andthe legs of which are spread'laterally around the cover member and arepressed into the circumferential space between the cover member Vandsleeve.

6. A bearing assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein the inwardlyprojecting end of the retaining member is of a length greater than thedistance between the end 'face of the cover member and the aperturethrough ,which the retaining member is inserted.

Large Oct. 24,' 1933 Ankeny Oct. :13, "1'936

